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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24236989">What now?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grigoriweasley/pseuds/Grigoriweasley'>Grigoriweasley</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>SKAM (Italy)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Comfort, Fear, Friendship, Future, Gen, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 19:35:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,351</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24236989</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grigoriweasley/pseuds/Grigoriweasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Elia is afraid of growing up and losing his friends. The contrabbandieri are there to help him and reassure him that they're gonna be okay.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>What now?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Crap, guys… I forgot to bring the beer!” This was what Luchino said, half laughing, just as soon as they arrived at Gio’s lake house in Bracciano. </p>
<p>Elia had taken his oral exam today; he’d been the last of their squad so they were officially on vacation now. That’s why they had decided to spend some days in Bracciano, just the four of them, because Nico was busy with his summer exams at uni and the girls wanted to take a trip to Fede’s house in the country.<br/> So there they were, the original Contrabbandieri squad, ready to relax and smoke some weed before leaving for their trip in Salento with the girls and Sana’s brother’s friends. </p>
<p>"You’re and idiot” Elia reproached him, “you literally had one job.” </p>
<p>“That’s not true, you told me to bring so many things that I was bound to forget something! It’s not my fault.” </p>
<p>“And who’s fault is it then? Mine?” asked Elia, while he punched Lucihno on the arm, to which he responded with an “Ouch!” </p>
<p>“C’mon guys, stop it” said Giovanni, amused “and help me bring our stuff in the bedroom. In the meanwhile, Marti, you can set the table and start cooking ‘cause I’m already starving”</p>
<p>“It’s half past seven” was Marti’s confused answer. “Shouldn’t we wait until at last nine to have dinner?”</p>
<p>“Shut your mouth and make that damn pasta, bro.” </p>
<p>Marti sighed and started cooking: Gio’s orders were not to be refused. </p>
<p>After a while (Marti had heard Luchino and Elia fight over who was gonna sleep in the bigger bed) the three guys had come back into the kitchen and were ready to eat Marti’s dinner.</p>
<p>“Finally a good Carbonara” exclaimed Luchino with great satisfaction. “I’ve been longing for it”.</p>
<p>“We had Carbonara last week at Nico’s…. Have you already forgotten?” Marti asked.</p>
<p>“That was NOT Carbonara at all” was Luchino’s reply. “I love your boyfriend, God knows how much I do but that guy can’t cook for shit. He literally put mushrooms and salami in the Carbonara, it tasted awful!”</p>
<p>“I agree” smirked Gio, “Nico’s an angel but his Carbonara is a crime against Rome and against all humanity”</p>
<p>“I told him but he just won’t listen. He keeps on saying that that’s the recipe they gave him when he was working as a waiter in a London restaurant and that the clients really loved it there. But it’s my boyfriend you’re talking about so please shut up and stop insulting his non-existent cooking skills” joked Marti.</p>
<p>Gio and Luchino laughed, but Elia only produced a small smile. Gio, who had an incredible sixth sense when it came to his friends, immediately knew that something was off with the dark haired guy. </p>
<p>“Eli, what happened?” he asked.</p>
<p>“Is it because I forgot the beer? I thought you liked Gio’s wine as well” said Luchino, joking. </p>
<p>Marti was silent, looking at him with a half curious half worried face.</p>
<p>“What? No, Luchì, it’s not about the beer… Don’t worry. It’s nothing, really. What were we talking about?”</p>
<p>“Eli.” Gio said his name in a more serious tone this time. “We’re your best friends, you know you can tell us anything”</p>
<p>“Of course” echoed Luchino and Marti.</p>
<p>Elia took a deep breath and looked at each one of them with a trace of sadness in his eyes.</p>
<p>Then he spoke: “It’s just that I’m gonna miss all this.”</p>
<p>“Me too, but we can do it again whenever we like” answered Marti. </p>
<p>“Can we really? Because… I don’t know why, but it’s starting too feel a lot like a goodbye to me.”</p>
<p>“I don’t understand” replied Luchino.</p>
<p>“I mean… How do you know that we’re gonna be friends even after we’ve all gone separate ways? Of course now everything’s great: we’re here, laughing and drinking together as we always do and next month we’re gonna go on holiday and have fun but what happens next? In September, when each one of us is gonna be at a different university and with a different routine? How do you know we’re not gonna lose each other?”</p>
<p>His three best friends were a bit surprised when they heard these words: Elia had never been one to get too sentimental. Sure, he would have given his life for them and he’d proved it again and again but they were not expecting him to worry about this subject.</p>
<p>“Of course we’ll still be friends” said Marti. “Why wouldn’t we?”</p>
<p>“Well, we’re all gonna be busy with uni… You’re gonna study medicine, Gio’s gonna study law and Luchino’s going to study art. Between exams and new friends, I’m afraid we’ll end up growing apart. And I don’t want that. I don’t us to become strangers who only see each other twice a year for a pizza and then don’t talk at all for the rest of the year. I don’t want to-“</p>
<p>“It’s not gonna happen” reassured him Gio with a smile. </p>
<p>But Elia was not convinced. His eyes were watery and his voice was slightly trembling. “How can you be so sure? Everyone who has gone to uni has said that they don’t see their high school friends anymore. They all grow apart. They meet new people, they find a job, they grow up… And they let go of everything that’s part of their past. Maybe they still see their old friends sometimes for a coffee and they make small talk, but that is not friendship. That is acquaintance. All the people they met in the past become just some memories to think about from time to time and remember how they were before their new, adult life. I don’t know if I’m ready to begin this new life… I’m not ready to let you go and be just a memory for you guys.” </p>
<p>One single tear fell down his cheek, but he didn’t wipe it away. He felt so strange and vulnerable right now: out of the entire squad, he was the one who talked less about his feelings and his worries. This was the first time he had actually voiced his fears out loud. </p>
<p>“Eli” whispered Luchino, “we are not gonna let you go. I, for one, am never letting any of you three go. Maybe we won’t see each other every afternoon but you can bet your ass I’m still going to call you everyday just to say some dumb shit and annoy you so you can insult me.”</p>
<p>Elia smiled a little.</p>
<p>Marti went on: “The fact that we’re gonna meet new people or that we’re gonna live new experiences isn’t gonna change the affection I feel for you guys. And I’m not saying this just to make you feel better, Eli: I’m saying it because I believe it. We’re not just a regular group of friends: we’re brothers. We went through so much shit together but it never changed our bond. Remember two years ago, when we had that huge fight the night of Covitti’s eighteenth birthday? I treated you like crap and we didn’t talk for two weeks, but as soon I explained my reasons our relationship grew even stronger. You’ve all always been here to help me when I needed it and you, Elia, are the one who’s always up front to stand up for me. I don’t care how many new people I’m gonna meet or how many new friends I’m gonna make. I know you’d give you life for me and for Gio and Luca as well, and I guarantee that no new friend is ever gonna top that. So don’t worry, because friends do grow apart. But brothers, they are for life.”</p>
<p>Elia smiled, bigger this time, and wiped away his tears; he whispered “okay” and sighed of relief at Marti’s words. Suddenly he felt himself surrounded by three pair of arms and smiled widely, even if the boys couldn’t see his face because they were holding him so tightly; these guys were his brothers and he was never, ever, letting anything destroy what they had, no matter how many fears he were to overcome.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello! I've just finished the fourth season of Skam Italy and some people are already requesting a fifth season about Elia, so I tried to write something about this character that we don't know much about. Of course the contrabbandieri are there with him 'cause this boysquad has my heart and I love them together. Hope you enjoy :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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